NO COMPULSION

Patea Mail, 3 October 1938, Page 2

NO COMPULSION

NEW ZEALAND EEOEHITING ATTITUDE OF GOVERNMENT New Zealand’s defences in the light of possible consequences of a European crisis were briefly dealt with by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. the Hon. W. E. Barnard, in the Course of on election address. Mr. Barnard referred: also to .the matter of conscription, and, speaking for the Government, he gave an assurance that there would be no compulsion in the recruiting of men for overseas service. '“The only likely threat to New Zealand’s safety in the event of war would be from sudden raids by warships, probably equipped with aeroplanes, ” said Mr. Barnard. “Whether that proves so or not, New Zealand, as, part of the Empito, will co-operate to* the full if the Empire is attacked.. “The position is entirely different from 1914. It is not possible to-day to send away a great body of men. In 1914 Japan wps our friend and , next time she may not be. “If it becomes advisable to send, men away they will go as and there certainly will be no compulsion so far as this Government corned. It seems that it is possible to do as we did in ISKRT. and?. 1918, and send large bodies of troops to tb'e ends of the earth.” .Mr. Barnard added .that the New - Zealand Govcrmmlent in the field of of., naval improvement' |had done everything recommended to it. by the su- < preme naval authority, the British Ad-, miralty. At the same time extensive reorganisation of military requirements including the provision of strong coastal defences, bad also been undertaken,, and at the moment energetic; steps: were being taken to bring np to ». minimum strength a territorial, force designed to serve aa a nucleus of a defensive land force, -